


Cupid Painted Blind

by thequiettitle



Category: Hatchetfield Universe - Team StarKid
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Background Jane Perkins/Tom Houston - Freeform, Background Paul Matthews/Bill Woodward, F/F, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Theatre Major! Becky, Theatre Major! Linda, also too much talk about shakespeare
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:07:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29213904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequiettitle/pseuds/thequiettitle
Summary: When Becky decided to major in theatre, she didn't realize she would get to have a rival. Unfortunately for her, Linda Monroe seems very keen on besting her at everything.Or Linda and Becky are idiot theatre majors who took "star-crossed lovers" a little too seriously.
Relationships: Becky Barnes & Bill Woodward, Becky Barnes & Charlotte (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals), Becky Barnes & Tom Houston, Becky Barnes/Linda Monroe
Comments: 8
Kudos: 11





	1. from ancient grudge break to new mutiny

**Author's Note:**

> this entire fic is me just projecting because i can't have the theatre major experience at college. also bill woodward is an icon who deserves more hype and i will die on this hill.

Becky groaned as she threw herself onto Tom’s messy bed as his roommate, Bill, kindly pretended not to hear the loud thud that resulted from her hitting her head against the wall. Becky sighed as she thought back to the embarrassing events of her mythology class. Of course Linda Monroe had to loudly call her out for accidentally spelling Pasiphae’s name wrong in her notes. In her defense, she had spelled it correctly the first time but Pasiphae’s story always made her mind wander to all the ways that Poseidon’s punishment was fucked up; she also hadn’t expected Linda to sit behind her in lecture. 

Linda Monroe was a theatre major, like Becky, who had somehow been in at least one of Becky’s classes every year. Their college was pretty small and the humanities department was even smaller, so it didn’t surprise her to have multiple of her friends in her classes, but it almost seemed like whatever Greek god was watching her liked to torture her. Maybe it was Poseidon or Zeus trying to get revenge for the amount of times she’s called them out for their disgusting behavior. 

“So tell me again what Linda did in class this time,” Tom said walking in with sodas for her and Bill.

“Really,” Bill asked, setting his laptop aside, “another Linda incident?”

“She’s just so snobby,” Becky sat up, angrily, “A lot of people in that class are such snobs, but she takes it so far. Who just looks at someone’s notes and then asks the professor how to spell a name just to humiliate someone? She’s an asshole!”

In freshman year, Linda had spoken to Becky once in their Intro to Theatre class and decided she couldn’t stand Becky and would try to constantly argue with her. Becky didn’t know what she had done wrong, but she wasn’t going to let Linda be a bitch to her.

“Can’t you try to get along with her? It’s not like you haven’t done shitty things to her either.” Bill said.

“Yeah,” Tom said, lying down next to her, “That time you laughed at her for saying Hercules instead of Heracles was kinda shitty too.”

“Charlotte wouldn’t do this to me.” Becky said pouting. 

“Bet you five dollars she will.” Tom said.

“You’re on.” Becky said, and then pushed him off the bed.

Becky spent the next hour before her mandatory math class in their dorm gossiping about random people at school and making fun of Tom’s crush on Jane, the most well-known dance major at school. (“Tom you’re a fucking idiot, she was asking you out.” “Wait, really?”)

Later that night, she complained to her roommate Charlotte about what Linda had done in class. 

Charlotte stared at her for a second before saying, “Maybe you should try being friends. You have a lot in common. Like you both quote Shakespeare way too often.”

Becky sighed, “Et tu, Brute?”

“That’s exactly my point,” Charlotte said, “Now, can I interview you for my lab? I have to do some research and I need my lab to be the best so that Ted can finally shut up about girls in STEM.”

“I wish I could punch him, but I feel like he would be into that.” Becky said.

Charlotte looked at her scandalized before bursting into laughter. It was moments like these that she was glad that she opted for a shared dorm, although the showers were disgusting and it felt weird having to wear shower shoes. (She’d rather die than step on the shower floor after the stories she’s heard.) She liked having someone to talk to.

The next morning she woke up after a very strange dream of a cow, she tried not to think of Pasiphae’s myth or the Minotaur. Maybe she would do something to apologize for calling Posiedon a womanizer, although he definitely earned the title, because she didn’t not want to have a half-bull half-human hybrid for a child.

She knocked at Tom’s door, silently laughing at the lesbian flag sticker that was under the peekhole in the door. Bill had stuck it on there during their sophomore year after Becky had loudly complained that it was a crime that Linda was so hot but so fucking annoying too. Bill had told her later that he had thought that she and Tom were dating because Tom had kept calling her his "girl friend."

The door opened and Becky looked up in confusion, “Paul?”

Paul was currently in his sophomore year of college and he was also majoring in English. Becky had only crossed paths with him at shows and the campus cafe when he had spilled all of his iced coffee on Ted by accident. At the thought of Ted, she thought back to her conversation with Charlotte and tried hard to stifle her laughter. (She later sent a text to Charlotte telling her this and Charlotte replied that she had seen Ted in their biology class and had laughed in his face and couldn’t stop laughing for a few minutes.)

“What are you doing here?” Paul asked her, looking confused at the amused look on her face.

“I’m here to make sure Tom is actually on time to our acting class. What are you doing here?” Becky asked.

“Bill’s tutoring me and I’m helping him with some Shakespeare homework that he didn’t understand. He said that he’s never read Shakespeare! Can you believe that?” Paul said, incredulously.

Becky definitely could not believe it, seeing as Bill had multiple hardcover copies of all of Shakespeare’s work and had been in a production of  _ Hamlet _ during their freshman year. She kept that information to herself though, and just shook her head at Paul as he walked out the door.

Upon entering she saw Bill pulling his Shakespeare copies out from under his bed and laughed at him. Bill looked up at her with wide eyes.

“So Paul, huh?” she said in amusement.

“Shut up.” Bill said, blushing.

“He’s cute. Although I don’t think you have to pretend to not know Shakespeare to talk to him.” Becky said sitting on Tom’s bed.

“At least I’m not pretending to hate him so that we can be dramatic rivals who fall in love.” Bill said, throwing a pillow at her.

“Listen, Linda Monroe may be hot but she’s a bitch and I would never date her.” Becky said.

“You say that now, but just wait.” Bill said.

Becky just laughed and threw the pillow back at him.

Becky and Tom quickly tried to make it across campus because Tom had made them late by trying to find the perfect outfit to impress Jane. (“Tom, I love you, but you look like a frat boy.” “Fuck.”) Becky really wanted Tom to ask Jane out already because they would be perfect for each other and Becky was tired of having to run across campus to make it to class.

When they entered the classroom, Becky could see Linda, Gary and Gerald talking quietly in a corner of the room. Linda looked up and scowled at Becky. Becky rolled her eyes at her and instead greeted Jane who was sitting next to their professor’s desk.

“Do you know what we’re doing today? She sent out an email about a special assignment and I’m nervous.” Becky asked her.

“She didn’t even tell me. All she said was that I would have to work with all of you on blocking.” Jane said.

“Maybe we’re doing some scene or something.” Tom said, trying not to blush when Jane smiled at him.

Becky nodded in agreement. She briefly wondered what her professor had in mind for them; they had done scenes in groups and partners before but her professor made it seem like it would be a different kind of assignment. Becky looked up to see Tom and Jane laughing together and decided to not bother them instead focusing on her poetry book. It was a collection of Sappho’s poems that Bill had gifted her after finding it at a thrift shop. Maybe she would buy him something in return or maybe she would get Paul to ask him out.

She looked up to see if their professor had arrived yet and was met with the judging eyes of Linda. Becky just stared at her, refusing to be the first one to look away. Clearly, it was a mistake as Linda got up from her seat and walked over to her.

“Can you not afford nicer copies of books or do you just like the ratty look you have going?” Linda asked.

“It was a gift from a friend. I would say that you get it, but I’m not sure if you have any friends.” Becky said, placing her bookmark in her book. She turned her head to look up at Linda.

“I obviously have friends,” Linda gestured in the direction of Gary and Gerald, who were staring at them, “I just didn’t think that anyone could put up with you and your pretentious knowledge of Shakespeare,”

“I’m pretentious?” Becky asked incredulously.

“I mean you can only quote his plays so many times before you start to seem like a pretentious hipster.” Linda said, smugly.

“You quote him too! Besides, Shakespeare is a literary genius and I have to appreciate his contribution to the English language.” Becky said.

“I quote him because he makes so many dick jokes,” Linda said in amusement, “And he would be turning in his grave if he could hear you calling him a genius. I’m surprised you don’t know that.”

“I do know that,” Becky said, offended, “For all I care that man could be a goddamn rotisserie chicken in his grave, I will acknowledge his literary accomplishments.”

Linda looked like she was about to answer, but their professor walked in. The students quickly made their way to their seats as the professor explained what they were doing for the day. Becky looked over to Linda’s seat in confusion; that was the nicest Linda had been to her in years. Even throughout their tension exercises, Linda would not leave Becky’s mind. Why was she extra hot when she talked about Shakespeare? Becky sighed and tried to pay attention to her professor speaking.

“So we all know our character types, but it is important to know how to play characters outside of that so I will be assigning you a partner to do a scene with. Your partners and scene were completely random and because we have an odd number of students, one of you will have to work with Jane. She will also be here to help with blocking if you need it. I’ll project the list onto the screen and you can get with your partners.” Her professor said, turning to her computer to pull the list up.

Becky quickly scanned the screen hoping she would get to work with Tom or even Nora, who was bitchy on her best days, but better than most people in class. Her heart dropped to the floor as she read “Becky Barnes and Linda Monroe一 _ Romeo & Juliet  _ Act 2, Scene 2.” 

The balcony scene. 

Becky’s feet felt like lead as she walked over to an equally shocked Linda. She quietly cursed her luck as she clearly pissed off whatever deity was incharge of luck (Tyche, her mind supplied) as she worked up her nerves to speak to Linda. They would have to spend hours together, practicing and making their costumes for the next few weeks. Maybe she could fake some contagious illness that specifically acted up around Linda. Becky shook her head at her own ridiculousness.

“So do you want to be Romeo or Juliet?” Becky asked, awkwardly.

“Obviously I will be Romeo,” Linda said, to Becky’s confusion, “Juliet was an idiot, I think you fit the role well. Plus I don’t want to play some lovesick girl who causes the death of so many people.”

“Hold on, Romeo was at fault too! If he wasn’t such a horny teen, then he wouldn’t have died.” Becky argued.

Linda just sighed, “This is going to be hell.”

The two stayed silent as they read their scene a few times. Becky looked up in realization, “I think we should probably exchange numbers so that we can actually communicate about this.”

Linda looked at her in disgust, “Well, if we have to, but you better delete it once this is over. I don’t want anyone thinking I’m friends with Becky Barnes.”

Becky just rolled her eyes and talked more about her ideas for the scene. They argued a few more times about costumes and blocking. (“I am not standing on a ladder the entire fucking time. Are you trying to kill me?” “If it would make you shut up, then yes.”)

She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to survive being in constant communication with Linda Monroe. Maybe they would be friends at the end of this, she thought briefly before laughing at the absurdity of a universe where she and Linda didn’t hate each other. At least Tom was benefiting from the project, he got to be partners with Jane. Becky shifted in her bed, trying to get comfortable. 

Fuck Tom for using up all the luck, Becky thought before falling asleep..


	2. love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs

Becky bounced her leg as she waited for Linda in a corner booth of the campus cafe. She tried to get lost in her copy of _The Odyssey_ , it had become one of her favorite epics when she had been forced to read it in high school. She anxiously wondered if Linda would even show up at all; maybe it was a ploy to humiliate her in front of the entire class. The project was the first big assignment they had in the class, would Linda really risk her own grade to make Becky look like an idiot? 

“Can you stop fucking bouncing your leg? It’s so goddamn annoying.” Ted asked, appearing at the side of her table.

Becky blinked up at him in confusion, “Go cry about it, Ted.”

She turned back down to her book and put on her earphones; she had specifically made a playlist to listen to when she read classics when she had first started college. Maybe it was a little pretentious to make a playlist specifically for the vibes, but when she read myths while listening to Moonface’s mythology related songs it was worth it.

She had finally gotten into her book, silently laughing to herself at Odysseus’ choice to call himself “Noman” when speaking to Polyphemus, when Linda arrived at her table, notebook in hand.

“I knew you were tasteless, but really _The Odyssey_?” Linda asked in disgust.

“It can be a little dry, but it’s still good!” Becky defended.

Linda shook her head, “I can’t believe I have to be stuck with you. Next you’ll tell me that you also believe that Persephone chose to eat the pomegranate.”

“Well,” Becky said, looking a little sheepish, “Her name does mean ‘Bringer of Destruction.’ I would just like to believe at least one woman in mythology had a choice. Plus, what she did to Minthe was a little evil.”

Linda just scoffed. Becky rolled her eyes, of course Linda would have to fight her on everything. Becky decided to pull her notebook out of her bag in order to change the subject.

“So we both know the context of the scene, but do you want to make the scene more romantic or do you want them to be more clearly naive?” Becky asked, looking over her script.

“I think it would be interesting to play into the original context and make them more blinded by love. And we can be really dramatic in our blocking and costumes to add to it.” Linda suggested.

Becky’s eyes widened a little as she found herself nodding along to Linda’s ideas. She knew that Linda was just as passionate about theatre as she was, but seeing it up close was entirely different. She felt almost giddy at the thought of performing with Linda; she made a mental note not to tell Bill that or he would tease her saying that the giddiness was love. Becky would never admit it, but she did think it was very attractive when Linda was passionately talking about her favorite subjects. It was hard to focus in an argument with Linda, when she looked so goddamn hot when she argued. That wouldn’t stop Becky from debating her at every chance she got, though.

They mostly worked in a comfortable silence, occasionally suggesting a change in blocking or inflection. Becky was surprised at how comfortable she felt with Linda; for a moment her mind wondered what it would like to be friends with Linda. They were sharing her earphones and listening to her Shakespeare vibes playlist; occasionally Linda would start to hum along to the song as she scribbled some notes onto her script. Becky couldn’t help but think that Linda looked so beautiful at this moment in time. She almost hoped that she could live in this moment for a little bit longer, but then the song changed and Becky quickly looked back at her script before Linda caught her staring. 

The image of Linda writing in her script would never leave Becky’s mind, it almost made her feel a little drunk. Her mind raced with images of her and Linda on dates in libraries, parks and cafes; they would read to each other and Linda would hum along to Becky’s playlist. The song changed again and jolted Becky out of her thoughts. She shook her head and tried to push all the thoughts of dating Linda out of her mind. She was ridiculous if she thought that Linda would ever tolerate her, let alone date her. She hated Linda and Linda hated her. That’s how it was and that’s how it would always be.

She opened her mouth to suggest a change to the blocking, when Ted came up to her and uncomfortably put his hand on her shoulder. She tried to shrug it off, but his hand wouldn’t move. Of course Ted would come to ruin everything. She should have punched him when she had the chance.

“Becky, were you never going to introduce me to your very attractive friend?” Ted said, blatantly checking Linda out.

Linda raised a single eyebrow at him, “I’m not Becky’s friend.”

“Well, I’m Ted and I’m not her friend either.” Ted said, smirking.

Becky felt disgust building in her stomach as she watched them speaking. She couldn’t believe that Ted really interrupted them to flirt with Linda and that Linda seemed into it. Becky may not be attracted to men, but she could see when a man was attractive and that was definitely not the case for Ted. Any attractive feature he may have had was overshadowed by his shitty personality and affinity for cheating. She only wished she could warn Linda about Ted’s behavior. It made her feel a way she had never felt before; she was supposed to be working with Linda, not watching her chat someone up. 

She wished the gross feeling in her stomach would go away before she did something stupid and got herself kicked out. A small part of her brain recognized the feeling as jealousy; it sounded suspiciously like Bill so she told it to shut up. She took a deep breath before discreetly texting Tom to call her and pretend that he had an emergency; they had come up with a code in highschool so they could get out of bad dates or shitty parties without trouble. They hadn’t used it in awhile and she desperately hoped Tom would remember what it meant.

The ringing of her phone momentarily distracted Linda and Ted’s nauseating attempts at flirting. Becky tried not to look relieved as she saw Tom’s name flash on her screen.

“Hey Tom, what’s up?” Becky asked, trying her best to sound natural.

Linda looked at her with a strange look on her face, but then turned back to Ted. Becky noted that she suddenly seemed less interested than before.

“Holy shit, are you okay? Try to stop the bleeding and I’ll be there soon!” Becky said, mentally thanking her acting teacher.

Linda looked vaguely worried, “Is everything alright?”

“Tom just got into a little bit of an accident. I have to go help him, can we reschedule for another day?” Becky asked.

“Yeah, don’t worry about it.” Linda said, looking disappointed.

Becky tried not to think too hard about Linda being disappointed; maybe the talk of blood had killed the mood that she and Ted had going? Becky just hoped she wouldn’t have to see those to flirt again. She turned to look back at Linda as she left the cafe; Ted was nowhere to be seen and Linda sat looking the most dejected and miserable Becky had ever seen her. Her heart ached a little at the sight, but her feet rushed her out of the cafe before she could make her way back to Linda.

She rushed into Tom’s dorm, throwing her book bag down without care. Bill and Paul looked up at her in confusion; they had papers and books scattered around them and Becky quickly noticed that Paul was wearing Bill's favorite hoodie. She stared at Bill for a second, before he began blushing.

“I thought you had to meet up with Linda today.” Bill said, clearly hoping to distract her from saying anything about the hoodie.

“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Becky said, pulling a soda out of their fridge.

“Did she say something to you?” Paul asked, closing his textbook.

“No, she just started flirting with Ted just as we were finally getting somewhere with the blocking,” Becky replied, “It was so disgusting. I personally do not see the appeal of men, but Ted is whole other low.”

“I fucking hate Ted,” Paul said, “He’s like 23 and he keeps trying to go after freshman girls. He wouldn’t leave Jane’s sister, Emma, alone until she poured her hot coffee on him.”

“Are we talking about Jane because she’s amazing.” Tom said, emerging from the bathroom.

“We get it Tom, you’re straight.” Becky said, throwing a pillow at him.

“Wait, am I really the only straight person here?” Tom asked.

Bill and Paul looked at each other before nodding. Becky didn’t miss how Paul’s hand inched closer to Bill’s; she was definitely going to talk to him later. As if he could read her mind, Bill looked at Becky and narrowed his eyes at her. Becky rolled her eyes. Her dating life may be a complete disaster, but she would be damned if she wouldn’t get these two idiots together. 

“So, why did you need me to call you?” Tom asked, “I thought you had that date with Linda.”

“It wasn’t a date,” Becky said, cursing at the heat rising in her face, “She started flirting with Ted while we were working and I would rather die than have to see that again.”

“Aw, were you jealous?” Tom asked, teasingly.

“I burn, I pine, I perish.” Becky deadpanned.

“Becky, you’re a disaster.” Tom replied.

Becky threw the other pillow at him. Tom ducked as the other laughed at them. They spent the next hour playing video games, pointedly ignoring the pile of textbooks sitting on the desk. Becky saw as Bill and Paul progressively got closer until Paul had to go to his creative writing class. Paul blushed slightly as Bill told him to keep the hoodie on. She smiled a little; perhaps she wouldn’t have to play matchmaker. She only hoped that they wouldn’t tiptoe around each other the way Tom and Jane do. Bill gave her a look that clearly meant he thought she was a complete disaster.

Maybe she was a disaster and maybe the idea of dating Linda wasn’t so absurd to her anymore, but that didn’t change Linda’s attitude with her. Becky would rather die than beg for Linda’s friendship; if Linda wanted her then she would have to make the first move. Although, Becky didn’t think Linda would actually stoop so low as to date her. Bill may have been right about her feelings, he didn’t know Linda the way she did and Linda was nothing if not stubborn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> becky is a pining dumbass and i am 100% projecting. also i think the next chapter is my favorite and least favorite chapter


End file.
